A/N- Oi. Thanks for reading, all. So many one shots, so little time.
B/N- So… I'm pretty sure this is not one of the previously stated one shots, and everyone be patient, writing one shots helps get the creative juices flowing, and I'm pretty positive that writing a few chapters of the current story, (in this case, This Damned Heart), then writing some one shots will be an ongoing thing, so do not fear we never forget about our stories.
Disclaimer: nothing is mine ('cept the paper I write this on)
"Dammit."he cursed aloud, drawing odd stares from the other people on the bus. He'd been cursing and bemoaning his fate ever since his so called 'counselor' had finally prescribed something for his severe depression…
Tango Corazon
Chapter One- Tango Lessons
Our fine tale begins as we get a glimpse of the ever-elusive Zexion. Of medium stature and slim build, Zexion's most shocking trait is his carefully disheveled head of soft, periwinkle hair. Subjected to many taunts and forced to pull his pants down more times than he cared to count, just to prove that it was indeed his natural hair color, the already reclusive boy grew into manhood with a reverent hatred and fear of other people.
After several suicide attempts, his mother forced him to see a 'guidance' counselor. Three months and countless appointments later, Zexion was being shipped off to Tango lessons. He'd just graduated High School, so his mother signed him up for lessons within walking distance of his new dorm at RGU, Radiant Garden University.
In addition to these torturous lessons, his 'counselor' had also instructed his new school to pair him with the most friendly person possible, no single room for our little budding sociopath. He'd arrived at his new home at 2:30 in the morning, yet nobody was there. He'd called out "Hello? Hello?" a few times before giving up.
He'd awoken to a screeching noise, the smell of burning, and a maniacal laugh. He rolled onto his back and sprung out of bed quickly, ignoring the fact that all he was wearing was a pair of black silk boxers and his trusty black wristband. He took stock of the situation.
He saw one screeching blonde, cowering under a bed, one laughing redhead, whose fire-engine-red hair was way too close to the fire on the curtains, and- wait… SHIT! Fire on the curtains!
Zexy, always the patient one, walked into the kitchenette area that came with their lavishly enormous dorm, grabbed the sink sprayer, and turned it on full blast, ice cold. After ensuring that both the flaming curtains and the flaming teenager were thoroughly put out, he returned to the sink. After returning the spray fixture ti its standard position, he pointed an accusatory finger at the blonde and droned, "State your name, your business in my room, and why the HELL you and your pal lit my curtains on fire."
The blonde boy cowered, frightened by level 5 of the awe-inspiring 'Zexy death glare'. He squeaked out "D-Demyx, sir. This is my room. A-Axel set the curtains on fire."
Zexion processed this mechanically as he walked over to the giggling redhead, obviously Axel. He stopped, bent down to Axel's eye level, (as he was lying on the floor clutching his sides at this point) and grabbed him by the hair. Zexion's scrawny frame didn't betray the great muscular strength acquired in the hundreds of fistfights he'd won, so it was a surprise to the various onlookers gathered in the doorway when the pale, blue-haired man managed to not only drag the gangly youth into the hallway, but lift him up by the hair and treat him to the greatest 'Zexy death glare' ever summoned.
Axel, whose hair being ripped out renewed his sobriety, squirmed and cowered. Zexion put him down and returned to the room to deal with Demyx. He heaved the now-hyperventilating boy onto his bed and hit him lightly on the top of his head.
The boy, who saw that Zexy was not planning on castrating him or subjecting him to a humiliating punishment, calmed quickly and regained his obvious happy demeanor. He stuck out his hand and said, "Hi! I'm Demyx! You must be my new roomie Zexion! I'm sorry about Axel… He likes fire!"
Zexion merely stared at the blonde until his bright smile began to falter, then walked over to his own bed, laid down, and promptly fell back asleep. Dem was bewildered.
Zexion awoke, once again, to an annoying noise. Some of the perks of RGU's huge dorms were the kitchenette/dining area, and the private bathrooms. The door leading to said bathroom was wide open, showing the slim silhouette of Demyx in the shower, whose singing had woken our hero(ine). He rolled out of bed, disturbed by his crazy roomie, and got prepared for the dreaded dance lesson he had scheduled in an hour.
Once the squeaky clean and humming Demyx emerged from his steamy cavern, Zexion managed to not only shower, brush out his long hair, and find clean clothes, but giggle inwardly at Demyx's mowhawk that had deflated in the shower- in only half an hour. Fully prepared for the grueling task to come, he was about to leave when the (still naked) blonde asked, "Where are you off to?"
Zexion huffed noncommittally and mumbled, "Lessons."
And here is where we find our periwinkle protagonist, cursing his fate on a rickety form of public transportation. He got off the buss at the designated spot, and walked the half block to the studio which he was to be viciously tortured- that is, interact with other people. 'Willingly'.
He reached the colorfully decorated 'Minami Dance' studio, entered, and looked around. His class was scheduled for 11am, and as it was 10:55, he assumed that the various couples dotting the waiting room were his new classmates. Not only were they all over the age of 40, but they all had partners. Shit. "Ah, well." he said inwardly. 'Maybe I won't have to do this after all.'
At 11, the receptionist led them into the aptly named 'Tango Room', and bade them wait for their instructor. Zexion was sitting up against the wall, head down and nearly asleep, by the time their instructor crashed in at 11:45. He heard scuffling noises and running followed by the sound of the studio door banging open and an eerily familiar voice saying, "Sorry! Sorry, everybody! I kinda forgot I had a class today and I had to go out and but new curtains and I'm having roommate problems and-"
Zexion looked up at this new instructor, hoping what he was thinking wouldn't be true. The latecomer finished his sentence. "I'm your instructor, Demyx!" Shit. Again.
The bubbling blonde hadn't yet discovered Zexion in his class, but would find out soon enough. He instructed his charges to partner up, and when a surly blue-haired man is left alone in the middle of a room full odd middle-aged married couples, he is not easily missed. Zexion winced as Demyx's green eyes locked onto his purple-ish pair and widened.
"Oh. My. God! Everybody, this is my roommate Zexion! Zexy, I didn't know you tangoed! You can be my partner!!" he squealed before latching on to him and dragging him to the front of the classroom. He pulled Zexion close and whispered, "I hope you're a fast learner. We've got to whip those geezers!" at which Mr. Moody cocked a small, rare smile.
Demyx turned to the class. "Okay. We've got a lot to do in a little time. Today we'll devote to walking properly." A few of the dancers smirked, thinking that walking wouldn't be a challenge. They were wrong. Demyx strolled around the room, leading the dancers like ducks, teaching them the correct way to walk and how to walk on the Line of Dance, several learners stumbled just walking to the beat. They walked until Demyx pronounced them satisfactory, which took over an hour.
When they dismissed at 1:30, many of them left complaining of sore feet and twisted ankles. Most of them were already dreading the coming Saturday, and the lesson that would accompany it. Zexion, the somber gentleman, loitered in the waiting room until his sweaty roommate came out with a smile, a towel, and a boom box.
Before the blonde could speak, Zexion did. "I had no idea you'd be a tango teacher." Just because Zexion was a bit antisocial didn't mean he minded talking to people he was close to, or had to spend time around.
Demyx laughed nervously, replying, "Well I never thought you'd be taking tango lessons." Zexion chuckled, a rare feat. Emboldened by this show od approval, Dem asked, "So… are you still angry about the whole curtain fire incident?"
By then they were waiting at the bus stop and resting their feet, sitting on the conveniently placed bench. The blue-nettle replied, "Not as long as you bought new ones!" and started off towards the buss that had pulled up.
Demyx followed, yelling "Wait up!" and smiling like a madman.
Zexion and his new friend parted ways at the bus stop, Demyx going to the dorm and Zexy going for a cup of coffee. He wasn't one to miss a good opportunity fop people-watching, and had brought along his trusty notebook to pass time before his first class at 3:00. Around 2:30 Demyx stumbled into the little café with a gaggle of friends, spotted Zexion, and introduced them all.
He poked a pair of boys holding hands, one with short spiky brown hair, one with long silvery hair, and introduced them as one entity, Sora-n'-Riku. He'd already met the pyromaniac Axel, but had the good fortune to run into him with his blonde keeper, Roxas. He was introduced to the quiet, artistic Namine before being dragged to a larger booth with the group.
Axel, he could already tell, was your classic showoff-loudmouth. The first thing out of the eccentric redhead's mouth was, "Are you a homophobe?" accompanied by a glare.
Zexion fixed him with a bored look and drawled, "No. In fact, I'm gay. And a word of caution, 'Axel'. Ever come into my room with fire again…"he cut off his sentence and gave the man a 'Zexy Death Glare.'
Axel cowered a bit, before replying, "Good. Okay." and grabbed Roxas' hand, just to show him off or because he was scared out of his wits. Probably the latter.
Once the clock hit 2:50, Zexion excused himself and explained that he had to get to history class by 3:00. Demyx looked at him with surprise and said, "I've got history at 3 too! I'll go with you!!" in his usual, overeager way. Zexion sighed good-naturedly, said a formal goodbye to the gathered friends, and walked to class with his new, dare he think it?, best friend.
The week itself was uneventful, but as it turned out, our quiet friend had the same classes as Demyx. At the same time. Every day. With history on Saturday, calculus on Monday and Thursday, government on Tuesday and Wednesday, and English every day but Friday and Saturday, he got used to the blonde being with him every waking moment.
For one of the first times in his life, the blue-haired beauty felt comfortable. Demyx didn't care that his hair was odd, that he was so quiet, or that he liked books more than people. He warmed up to Demyx's friends slowly, but he got along with Demyx better than anyone else. He admired Namine for her calm and her art skills, and discovered that not only were Axel and Roxas a couple, but Sora and Riku were together too. He envied them, but judged relationships too troublesome.
On Thursday he made sure to finish all his weekend work early, as his mother would be coming for a visit the next day. Demyx helped him spruce up their slightly unkempt room, and promised to go with him to the train station where Zexion's mother would arrive.
The next morning they awoke and set out early enough to pick her up at 8:00, then gave her a quick tour of campus before showing her the dorms and the dance studio. Zexy's mom was amazed that Demyx was her son's roommate and tango teacher, and was so enthusiastic that she actually persuaded Demyx to take his shirt off and show her his muscles. In the middle of the crowded restaurant they were having lunch in.
They met 'the gang' in the café and had another round of introductions, followed by hours of chatting and reminiscing. Zexy's mom couldn't help but notice how her aloof boy always watched his new blonde friend, and how he always smiled at what Demyx said. She even heard him chuckle a few times, a sound she hadn't heard since his happy elementary school years, when his dad was still around.
She took the train back home around 10:00, after 14 hours that may have been the best she'd ever had. That boy was good for her Zexion, she mused. Very, very good.
The dynamic duo returned to their dorm after clubbing with 'the guys', and Zexion put the thoroughly smashed Dem to bed, before setting their alarm clock and vowing to make sure his friend wouldn't be late to lessons again. He lay down, sighed, and fell asleep dreaming of the day to come.
end o' chapter one.
B/N- I'm sorry for all mistakes, my spellcheck is still on being a dick, I think I caught most of them, but just in case. Hoped you liked it and please review, so Caro will be tempted to update all her stories faster.